Sunday, April 20, 2008

Catching the Wave

By Chris



Because of its rough seas, the Pacific Northwest has long attracted surfers. Now energy companies are trying to catch a wave too. Canada's Finavera Renewables have already installed a 72-foot-tall buoy off the coast of Oregon that uses up-and-down wave motion to drive a piston that generates electricity. Jason Bak, 34- a former prospector and Finavera's founder- has raised $10 million to pursue his dream of capturing wave power. He describes waves as the densest form of renewable energy on the planet," with the potential to supply 5% to 10% of America's energy. With the first opening license for wave power ever granted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the companies goal is to produce commercial power by 2012.

No comments: